Hey Mom
by Sensaiman
Summary: Kate Beckett-Castle learns a lesson about motherhood.


Hey Mom!

A Castle Fanfiction by

Sensaiman

**Summary: **_**Kate Castle learns a lesson in the meaning of motherhood.**_

**Disclaimer: I don't own them, never will, wish I did [**_**Sigh**_**]**

It was an unusually early time for Detective Lieutenant Katherine Beckett-Castle [_NYPD_] to be getting home. Often she didn't get in until 7:00 or 8:00 p.m., but today it was little after 5 when she opened the door to the loft. As stepped through the door she could hear voices coming from the living room. She looked over and saw the two most important women in her life sitting on the couch. Johanna [_JoJo to her friends and family_] was sitting in Alexis's lap giggling happily as the red haired woman _read Horton Hears a Who_ to her. Kate had to smile as she listened to her stepdaughter read the story. Alexis had inherited some of the Martha Roberts dramatic flair as she changed voices and tone as the various characters talked. When Alexis finished the story, Kate walked over and kissed her two girls.

"Hi kids", she said. [_Alexis really wasn't a kid any more, but Kate still thought of her that way_]

"Hi, Mommy", JoJo chirped happily.

"Hey, Mom", Alexis chirped just as happily.

"Did you have a fun day?"

"Yeah, Mommy", JoJo said, "Lexy took me and Alex to the zoo, and then we had ice cream, and then we came home."

"Speaking of Alex", Kate asked, "Where is he?'

"He was pretty pooped after the zoo and everything, so he's upstairs taking a nap", Alexis said.

"Thanks for taking them today, Lexy. They love spending time with you."

"And I love being with my little brother and sister." the red head replied hugging JoJo.

"Where's your Dad"?

"He's in the study trying to get Nikki and Rook out of a storage truck which is careening out of control down a mountain road", was the answer.

"Oh goodness, I better not disturb him then", said Kate, turning towards the bedroom door. "Oh, I almost forgot, we were able to get two more tickets for _Wicked_ for Saturday do you think you and Ashley can come".

"I'm sure we can", said Alexis, "Thanks, Mom"

Kate was almost to the bedroom door when she heard her younger daughter ask the question.

"Lexy, how come when Aunty Meredith visits you call her Mom, and Mommy Kate, but when she's not here you call Mommy, Mom?"

Kate froze and slowly turned around. She stared at the young woman, wondering how she would answer the question.

Alexis looked up, saw Kate staring and smiled.

"Well you see, Pumpky, [_this was Alexis's special name for JoJo_], Aunty Meredith is the lady who gave birth to me."

"Huh?" asked JoJo.

Alexis thought for a moment, Kate took a step forward, but the redhead raised her hand motioning her to stop.

"Well, you s Baby Sister, along time ago, before you and Alex were born, and even before Mommy, Daddy, and Gram were a family. Daddy and Aunty Meredith were a family. It was when they were a family that I was born.

"I don't get it", the little girl whimpered.

"Do you remember when we told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister, and you wondered were they were, and we told you they were living in Mommy's tummy?"

"Yeah".

"And then one day you went to stay with Uncle Javi and Aunt Lainie, and Mommy, Daddy and Grams and I went to the hospital, and when we came home we brought Alex with us?"

Uhuh", JoJo's reply was a little uncertain.

"Well before I was born, I lived in Aunty Meredith's tummy, and when I came home from the hospital it was Aunty Meredith and Daddy who brought me".

"Lexi", the little girl said beginning to cry, "Does that mean you're not my sister?"

"Of course not, Sweetie. It's true that Mommy didn't give birth to me, but Daddy is still my daddy, and that would make us sisters even if Mommy wasn't our Mommy."

"I don't understand".

"Well", the redhead began a little catch starting in her voice, "After Daddy and Aunty Meredith brought me home, she decided she didn't want to be part of our family and she left. Daddy and I were alone".

Kate could hear the little girl begin to sniffle, and she came and sat beside her. She placed her hand on her youngest daughter's back and began to make small circles of comfort there.

"At first I was very sad", Alexis resumed, "But then one day, Daddy met a wonderful woman." here the Young woman looked up and stared straight at Kate, "She was brave, and strong. She cared deeply about people and tried to help them. She was he greatest lady I ever met".

"Who was it?" JoJo asked.

"It was Mommy, Silly Girl. She and Daddy met and although it took her awhile to realize one day Mommy decided she wanted to be a part of our family".

'Yay" JoJo cried.

"At first she wasn't sure, if I wanted her to be a part of it", Alexis said, "She didn't know that I had already decided that I wanted her to be with us."

"Then what happened"?

"Well, Mommy came here to live with us, and I finally had what I had always wanted. I had a Mom. Not just a Mom but the best Mom in the world".

With that the little girl jumped up, hugged them both and ran upstairs.

"Alexis", Kate began, "I don't know what to say. I never really realized that that was how felt".

"Mom. Don't you realize that until you came into our lives I didn't have a mother? Meredith was like a fun crazy aunt and Gina was Dad's wife but she was never really even my friend. You were the first person who loved me the way a mother loves her child. Who held me and rocked me in her arms and told everything would be okay when Ashley and I broke up that time? And after we got back together, who was that threatened to beat him to a up if he ever hurt me again?"

"That would be you father".

"Right, but who threatened to shoot what was left of him"?

"That would be me", Kate said, and the two Castle women laughed.

"And that time Dad was on a book tour, and I had that terrible flu. Who took off from work and stayed with me and fought for three days to bring my fever down? Some day when Ashley and I get married [_at this Kate raised an eyebrow_], and Meredith is sitting in the front row with her latest boy toy. When the minister asks Dad, "Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man"? and Dad answers, "Her mother and I". The woman he will be speaking of is you. Let's face it Kate, you are my Mom and you always will be. I love you."

When Richard Castle walked out of his study later that night, he saw his wife and eldest daughter sitting on the couch crying and hugging, and it made his heart warm.

The End

_Please, please review. Thanks_


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